Ed Joyce held the Sussex batting together once again after lunch on the opening day of Sussex’s clash with Somerset at Taunton.

The skipper reached tea unbeaten on 67 but lost both Luke Wright and Ben Brown in the afternoon session to leave Sussex still in trouble on 163-6.

That was still something of a recovery having slumped to 25-3 in the morning after Joyce won the toss and elected to bat first.

Joyce is in the form of his life after making four first class centuries this season already but Somerset will be rueing the fact they let him off the hook.

The Ireland international has made the most of being given a chance when he was dropped by Craig Keiswetter in the morning when he had yet to score.

Joyce added 50 for the fifth wicket with Wright – from 118 balls – before the England all-rounder mistimed a cut off Peter Trego and saw the ball clatter into his stumps having made 24.

The Sussex skipper was not at his most fluent which was highlighted by the fact it took him 142 balls to reach his half century.

He lost another partner when Brown departed for seven after Johann Myburgh took a sensational diving catch at cover to give Craig Overton his first wicket of the day.